The Choice
by AniRachel
Summary: Tobias is wondering (this story comes after #13) if he should be human or hawk


ANIMORPHS: The Choice 

My name is Tobias. Yeah, I know, your'e expecting me to explain the Animorphs. And the problems that are at stake. I'm sure you expect me to tell you about how dangerous the Yeerks are, and how all humans are in danger. Also how the Animorphs, 6 beings named Jake, Cassie, Marco, Rachel, Ax and me are trying to save the Earth from the Yeerks. If you want to learn more about us, go read the first book. 

Anyways, it was a couple of days ago that the Animorphs had saved two Hork-Bajir that was free from the Yeerks. We took them to a safe beautiful field so that they could live hidden from the Yeerks and live a peaceful life. It was also during this mission that I received a "gift" from the Ellimist. He gave me my old morphing powers back, plus he let me aquire my human DNA, so now I'm still a hawk, but I can morph now, especially to my old human body. 

Okay, you're probably wondering why I'm a hawk, and how I can talk anyway. I'm a nothlit; a person that was in a morph for too long. See, there's a limit for staying in a morph, and it's only two hours. If you stay in a morph for longer then two hours, you end up what I am, an animal with a human's brain forever. It's not that bad, really. I can fly whenever, wherever I want, and plus I have my morphing powers. But, I really miss being an actual human. I miss everything about it; being able to go to school, to eat pizza, or to even see a movie. I could be an actual human if I wanted to, but I'd have to give up my morphing powers, and I wouldn't be much help to the the other Animorphs. But, I still really missed being a human, even though I was constantly picked on at school and the remaining family I had, (my mom and dad were dead) my aunts and uncles, didn't care about me. I remember feeling lost, until I received my morphing powers with my four other friends. 

I knew I wasn't going to get any sleep until I talked about my problem with somebody. Rachel quickly came to mind. She's kind of close to me, and she's a great friend to talk to when I have a lot of worries. I took off from my favorite perch in this tree in the field I live in and I flew to Rachel's window. I looked in, and she was talking to her younger sister Jordan, so I couldn't go in. But I didn't want her to see me and to push her sister out the door, because she probably didn't have a lot of time with her alone, because we are always out completing some mission. All my friends missed their siblings and parents too. I had noone to miss. So, anyway, I sat in the maple tree by her window and thought. 

Just this afternoon Rachel was named a Packard Foundation Outstanding Student at school. Normally, I wouldn't have seen her recieve it, because a hawk in school would have looked a little strange. But I had just gotten back my morphing powers and my ability to morph my human self, so I just couldn't miss her receive her award. So without telling the others (they didn't know yet that I could morph my old human self,) I flew to my old school, then demorphed and morphed to me. Tobias. I then sneaked into the gym, and stayed in the back. I had gotten to the ceremony a little late, so the only thing I got to see was the five students that were receving the Packard Foundation Outstanding Student award file off the bleachers and join their homeroom classes. Rachel was the last one in the line, and she almost missed me. But when she saw me, she completly stopped, and her eyes got really wide. "Tobias, is that you?" "Yeah, I'll explain later," I told her with a half smile. Finally she had to leave me to join her homeroom, but she kept her eyes on me until she joined them, and she seemed to have to force herself sadly to shift her vision away from me. I think I even saw her pinch her arm, to see if she was awake. 

I looked back into Rachels room to see if Jordan had left yet, and I saw that Rachel was all alone, reading a book. Perfect. I flew to the window, and quietly beat my wings on the window. 

I asked. 

She looked at me and slightly nodded her head, but first she went to her door and locked it. She then finally came to the window and pulled it open. I flew in quickly and landed on her bed, and before she could say anything I morphed to my human form. I could see a smile forming on Rachels face. "Tobias!" she whispered excitedly and hugged me kind of quickly. Rachel isn't really sentimental. But, she hugged me again, this time a little bit longer. 

"Wow," Rachel exclaimed. "So, the Ellimist really did let you become you, Tobias again? Wow, and he even let you keep your morphing powers too..." Her voice trailed off because she saw me give her a half frown. 

"What's wrong Tobias," she asked me. "I'd be the happiest person in the world at the moment if I was in your shoes!" "No, you don't understand," I replied sadly. "I was given my morphing powers back, but I'm still a hawk. It's only that the Ellimist let me aquire my own DNA so I can morph me, Tobias." I saw a tear in Rachels eye, but I she swiped it away so I wouldn't see it. 

"So you really not a human, you're still a hawk?" Rachel asked in a shaky voice. 

"Yeah," I said with tears also forming in my eyes, but I didn't try to wipe them away. She sat down on her big bed and motioned for me to do the same, which I did. 

"I have to talk to you, I feel so worried," I told Rachel sadly. "I don't know what to do. I have to choices; I can stay a hawk, and I'll keep my morphing powers and I can help you guys in missions. But, I miss myself, Tobias, so much. I could be an actual human if I wanted to, but I'd have to stay in my human morph for two hours, and I'd lose my morphing powers. So I'd be no help to the Animorphs. I just don't know," I ended in a shaky voice. Rachel just stared at me for a couple of seconds, then she placed her hands on my shoulders and faced me. "Look, Tobias, it's your decision," she said trying to keep a straight face. "The Animorphs will accept whatever you choose. So follow your heart." 

I stared out the window, and looked out into the dark starry night. If I decided to return to human, I'd never be able to fly through those skies again, or be able to morph. Which was better, being a human or hawk, or was it a good idea to give up my morphing powers? I didn't seem to know the answers... 

But suddenly, I knew what I had to do. 

"Rachel, I can't give up my morphing powers, and not help save the Earth from the Yeerks," I said in a slow and thoughtful voice. "For the human race, I'll stay a hawk, untill this feirce battle is done. Then, when the Andalites come to help us win this war.... 

I'll return to human, to hopefully live a normal life." Rachel watched me with her eyes. "That is a very respectable choice," she said with a shaky voice. She put her arm around my shoulders. "Soon, the Andalites will come," she told me as we looked out to the million stars that dotted the sky. 


End file.
